TYB
US Marines deploy new counter-drone system in Hawaii
Jan 27, 2025
U.S. Marines with the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (3d MLR), 3rd Marine Division, conducted a counter-unmanned aerial system live-fire training event on January 25, 2025.
According to a press release from the 3d Marine Division, the exercise, held on a Hawaiian island, marked the first use of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) in live-fire training since its fielding in December 2024.
The event commemorated the culmination of months of operational testing and evaluation required to field this advanced weapon system.
Designed to counter emerging aerial threats, MADIS enhances the capabilities of 3d MLR and integrates into the Marine Corps’ Force Design modernization efforts.
Lt. Col. Matthew E. Sladek, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion (3d LAAB), emphasized the importance of MADIS, stating, “The fielding of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System to the Marines of 3d Littoral Anti-Air Battalion is the culmination of years of tireless work from government and industry teammates across the country.
The delivery of the critical capabilities the system provides to 3d Littoral Anti-Air Battalion and by extension 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, makes the stand-in force more survivable and lethal in the conduct of contested littoral operations against emerging aerial threats.”
Sladek highlighted the development journey of the MADIS system, adding, “As a career Low Altitude Air Defender Marine, it is truly amazing to have watched the Marine Air Defense Integrated System transition from an idea to a capability and with it, the modernization of Marine Corps short-range air defense capabilities. Now the real work begins.” The MADIS is operated by the Ground-Based Air Defense Battery within 3d LAAB.
The system provides low-altitude air defense Marines the capability to detect, track, identify, and engage various unmanned aerial systems using an array of missiles, air-to-air launchers, chain guns, machine guns, and simulated munitions.
Col. John G. Lehane, Commanding Officer of 3d MLR, underlined the operational benefits of MADIS, stating, “Fielding of MADIS to the 3d Marine Littoral Regiment enhances our collective lethality, and provides remarkable tactical flexibility given the system’s reach, range, and mobility.
We are really excited to have this capability added to our already robust ability to coordinate air and missile defense actions, as it adds an organic layer to defeat a would-be adversary’s ability to attack our formations.”
The live-fire event allowed commanders and subject matter experts to interact with attendees, addressing questions about the system’s capabilities and fielding process.
The training also showcased the Marine Corps’ emphasis on a threat-informed, concept-based approach to modernization and its commitment to supporting allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
The MADIS system, characterized as a highly mobile, short-range surface-to-air defense weapon, is a cornerstone of the Marine Corps’ modernization strategy.
By extending the range of airspace that 3d MLR can sense and defend without reliance on the Joint Force, MADIS significantly boosts tactical flexibility.
Stationed on Oahu, Hawaii, the 3d Marine Littoral Regiment specializes in amphibious and littoral warfare operations.
Through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts with allied nations, the regiment remains committed to promoting regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The integration of MADIS represents a milestone in the Marine Corps’ ongoing transformation and highlights the unit’s readiness to counter modern threats in contested environments.
https://defence-blog.com/us-marines-deploy-new-counter-drone-system-in-hawaii/
>The big question, is who is using drones to attack America?
Latvian PM insists on immediate action after drone incidents: “We live under threat”
January 27, 2025
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa has given the Ministry of Transport until the 5th of February to assess existing action algorithms and present possible improvements, as well as perform a full assessment of responsibility of officials in regards to the recent drone incident at Riga International Airport.
The ministry will need to assess whether or not the airport could have acted differently and what measures authorities should take to prevent such situations from repeating in the future.
The ministry is expected to present proposals to help fix this situation now and come up with long-term solutions.
The PM also ordered the Ministry of Transport to work with the Ministry of Defence, which, according to the prime minister, has acquired an anti-air defence system and is currently working on a new sensor system to identify drones.
“I believe that all systems installed by state in Latvia should be compatible with each other, so cooperation involving the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of the Interior should be developed from the point of view of air defence, object identification and striking capabilities,” Siliņa said.
The head of the government told journalists on Monday that she expects officials to present “actions appropriate to the existing geopolitical situation”.
“We cannot wait for Europe – we are the first to be affected by various threats. We are the ones who live under hybrid threats.
We have to be prepared to react to all involved sides, including agencies under the Ministry of Transport,” said Siliņa.
The Prime Minister met with representatives of the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of the Interior, state security institutions, as well as the aviation industry in a closed meeting on Monday morning to discuss the drone incident at Riga Airport in mid-January and how to further improve cooperation and operational action in such cases.
Siliņa said Latvia has been living in a tense geopolitical situation for three years.
This is why she wanted to find out if all relevant institutions, especially Riga International Airport, Latvian Air Traffic, Civil Aviation Agency (CAA), have a clear plan of action.
The PM said it is clear Latvia needs to be able to respond much faster and “be on top of things” going forward.
As previously reported, on the 13th of January, short-term restrictions were imposed in Latvian air space three times.
All of them were related to drones illegally flying within the territory of Riga International Airport.
https://bnn-news.com/latvian-pm-insists-on-immediate-action-after-drone-incidents-we-live-under-threat-264406
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/uk-royal-navy-scrambles-to-ocean-sounds/
Panic Grips British Navy As Russian Drones Suspected Of Attacking UK’s Nuclear Submarine Fleet
Jan 27, 2025
The UK’s Royal Navy was recently thrown into a state of high alert after picking up two mysterious sounds off the coast of Scotland, initially feared to be the work of Russian drone subs targeting the UK’s nuclear fleet, an official told The Sun.
The report revealed that UK Navy sensors scanning the region for signs of enemy presence detected the suspected blow-offs on two separate occasions.
With tensions running high, officials feared that Russian deep-sea surveillance drones had placed a listening device on the seabed near crucial submarine routes between the Isle of Raasay and Applecross in North West Scotland, prompting a full-scale investigation.
The peculiar sounds were picked up around 100 miles from the Royal Navy’s submarine base.
Initially, analysts described the sounds as man-made, noting that they were unlike anything ever recorded on the range in its 55-year history.
This raised serious alarms within the UK Navy regarding a potential intelligence threat that could compromise national security and reveal sensitive military information.
The investigation, described as frantic, also reignited fears about Russia’s use of aquatic mammals for espionage, such as Hvaldimir, the now-famous beluga whale discovered in 2019 wearing a Russian camera harness.
Hvaldimir’s death off the coast of Norway last year fueled speculation about the Kremlin’s continued reliance on marine life for intelligence operations.
But after days of analysis and heightened alarm, officials revealed the true source of the noises: a gassy whale.
The peculiar sounds that initially triggered fears of Russian espionage turned out to be nothing more than underwater flatulence from a marine mammal.
The discovery brought a moment of levity to an otherwise tense scenario, with some jokingly renaming the incident “The Hunt for Red Fart-ober.”
While the outcome was humorous, officials stressed the importance of vigilance. One source said, “We are taking it very seriously. We have to assume the worst.”
However, the British Navy has not disclosed the exact timeframe during which this investigation was conducted.
The alert followed a warning from Defence Secretary John Healey, who stated that Russian ships damaging British underwater cables could face being boarded and seized by Marines.
A Naval official told The Sun: “We have been analyzing the sounds and now believe it was a marine mammal. A whale.”
The turmoil within the British Navy after detecting these unusual sounds is understandable, especially since they were picked up near the British submarine base.
The Navy was concerned that Russia’s elite underwater research unit, GUGI, might be attempting to record the acoustic signatures of the UK’s top-secret Astute-class attack submarines and Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines.
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These submarines are crucial to the UK’s defense, engineered to operate covertly and silently. Any compromise of their security would present significant risks.
Underwater drones are regarded as key assets that Russia may leverage against the UK. Russian experts have even issued regular ominous warnings about such tactics.
They went on to suggest that a strike by the nation’s Poseidon nuclear underwater drone could result in the UK being overwhelmed by a colossal 500-meter tidal wave of radioactive seawater.
Meanwhile, this wasn’t the first time marine life has caused such alarm. In the 1980s and 1990s, a similar situation sparked a tense deterioration in relations between Sweden and Russia.
In 1982, Swedish officials were startled by unexplained underwater sounds in the Stockholm archipelago. The Swedish military quickly launched an extensive operation, deploying submarines, boats, and helicopters to investigate the source of these mysterious signals.
However, the reality was far from what Sweden had feared. In 1996, Magnus Wahlberg, a professor from the University of Southern Denmark, led a team of bioacoustic researchers to investigate the origins of the strange sounds. During a 2012 TEDx Talk in Gothenburg, Wahlberg shared how they finally solved the mystery.
The team was granted access to a secure room beneath the Bergen military base in Stockholm, where, for the first time in Swedish history, civilians were allowed to listen to the classified “typical sounds.”
Wahlberg anticipated hearing mechanical noises, such as pings or the hum of rotating propellers.
Instead, they heard a sound that resembled the crackling of bacon frying, popping and hissing noises like small air bubbles bursting in the water. It was nothing like what they expected from a submarine.
After the session, the team pondered why small bubbles would always appear on the surface following the noise. Could it be the work of an animal?
Intrigued, they went to a local store, bought Baltic herring (a shoaling fish species of the open sea), and lowered the fish into the water. What followed was an unexpected “beautiful concert,” the sound of herring passing gas.
The collective wind of herring, swimming in massive shoals that spanned kilometers in length and mere centimeters in height, created enough noise to be detected on military radar.
The Swedish navy had protocols for identifying the sounds of whales, seals, and walruses, but they had never suspected that herring could generate such loud emissions.
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Fighter jets scrambled after drone sighting sparks security fear as Donald Trump backup plane lands
Updated 07:55 ET, JAN 27 2025
Fighter jets and a military helicopter were scrambled when a potential drone sighting near President Donald Trump's backup aircraft sparked security concerns over the weekend.
Air Force One, the official Air Force aircraft that carries the president of the United States, landed safely in Miami, Florida on Saturday but the POTUS backup aircraft SAM47 USAF Boeing C-32A/757 was put on a temporary hold when a possible drone was spotted around Freeway Airport.
The aircraft departed California at 21:02pm UTC, according to Flight Radar, but was delayed near Joint Base Andrews because of the mysterious drone.
Two F-16 fighter jets with the callsign Brave01 and Brave02 were scrambled alongside military helicopter Blackjack1, tasked with intercepting the TOI (Target of Interest), according to Air Traffic Control audio.
"Just be advised that we have an active scramble about 10 miles north of Andrews and just waiting on the jet to depart there … active intercept so that is the reason for the delay vector", an Air Traffic Control (ATC) officer can be heard telling SAM47.
"Blackjack1 are you guys visual with whatever you guys are looking for?" ATC asked. "Not visual with TOI (Target of Interest) at this time," Blackjack 1 responded.
ATC described the target as "a potential drone between 5 thousand and 6 thousand", later adding:
"TOI is now off your about 1 two 2 o'clock, 4 miles southbound might be in the vicinity of Freeway airport." Continuing to direct Blackjack one towards the target, ATC added:
"TOI is … you guys are either right on top of it or right underneath it? … he is indicating 60 knots so if that helps you guys?"
However, Blackjack1 repeatedly confirmed that they were unable to intercept the target until ATC revealed that the object had disappeared from their screen.
Eventually, the backup POTUS aircraft was directed to Joint Base Andrews, where it landed at 1:41am UTC.
Boeing C-32A is a modified version of Boeing 757-200 that provides transportation for US leaders including the vice president, first lady and members of the Cabinet and Congress.
The incident comes as President Trump has vowed to get answers to a series of unexplained drone sightings in parts of the US that began in November.
Fox News' Peter Doocy asked Trump on Monday: "Anything with these drones — is it anything to be worried about?" The president responded: "I would like to find out what it is and tell the people. In fact, I’d like to do that."
Referring to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Trump added: "Could we find out what that was, Susie? Why don’t we find out immediately?" The president referenced how drones had been spotted over his golf club in New Jersey.
He continued: "I can’t imagine it’s an enemy, or there would have been, you know, people would have gotten blown up, all of them.
Maybe they were testing things. I don’t know why. They wouldn’t have said what it was. They had a lot of them flying over Bedminster, which is interesting."
The mysterious drone sightings, which took place in November and December, saw the FBI appealing for information.
"The FBI Newark, NJ State Police, and NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness are asking for the public to report any information related to the recent sightings of possible drones flying in several areas along the Raritan River," a December 3 FBI statement said.
An FBI official later stated that around 5,000 tips had been received related to the reported drone sightings but that "less than 100 leads have been generated and deemed worthy of further investigative activity."
At the same time, a DHS official said they're "confident that many of the reported drone sightings are, in fact, manned aircraft being misidentified as drones," ABC News reports.
In mid-December, federal officials concluded the thousands of drone sightings reported in Northeastern states don't present a national public safety risk.
In a multiagency statement, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense said: "
Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and stars mistakenly reported as drones.
"We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the Northeast."
https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/fighter-jets-scrambled-after-drone-934157
Drone meets robotic dog: China’s social media erupts in fireworks
Updated: 9:10am, 27 Jan 2025
A video showing an aerial drone and a robotic dog firing fireworks at each other has recently gone viral on Chinese social media, sparking lively discussions about the future of unmanned warfare.
In the video, the drone – with fireworks fixed to its landing gear – begins firing pyrotechnics at the robotic dog on the ground.
The dog then moves forward and backward, dodging the fireworks while returning fire from fireworks mounted on its back.
At one point, the drone begins circling the robotic dog, forcing it to manoeuvre to counter the new threat.
paywall
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3296346/drone-meets-robotic-dog-chinas-social-media-erupts-fireworks
https://www.sbsun.com/2025/01/27/san-bernardino-countys-drones-hustle-out-to-eyeball-possible-fires/
San Bernardino County’s drones hustle out to eyeball possible fires
January 27, 2025 at 8:09 AM PST
The 911 call that arrived just before 8 p.m. on a recent weeknight was a familiar one to San Bernardino County Fire Department dispatchers:
A passerby reported an “unknown type fire” in the city of San Bernardino.
In the last three months of 2024, the agency’s firefighters responded to 833 such calls in the city alone, Fire Department spokesman Eric Sherwin said, in a city that according to the latest in-the-field survey has roughly 1,000 homeless people, some who frequently set small outdoor fires to keep warm.
But this night, instead of sending a fire engine to lumber out to the area of the 215 Freeway between 2nd Street and Baseline Road, the dispatcher — as part of a 30-day pilot program to use resources more efficiently — contacted engineer Jeff Alexy and Capt. Kristian Cavada, who were stationed on the roof of the 12-story Caltrans building in downtown.
Alexy launched a drone, recognizable for its red and green blinking lights and white strobe, and that features high-definition and thermal-imaging cameras.
With Cavada as its spotter, the aircraft soon arrived and performed a thorough search, all in 4 minutes and 33 seconds — about the time it would have taken the engine just to get there.
Firefighters were thus freed from a response that could have included a half-hour search, instead leaving them available for more critical calls.
“It worked great,” Alexy said. “We get on scene a heck of a lot faster than an engine company.”
The program started on Jan. 13. When the caller is able to identify a specific vehicle, building or brushy area that is afire, the engines are dispatched along with a drone, which can hit 40 mph.
Otherwise, oftentimes, one of four drones goes it alone. A drone’s travel time is measured in seconds, not minutes.
San Bernardino and many other fire departments use drones to provide ground units with an aerial view of a fire and to find lost hikers and drowning victims, among other tasks.
Sherwin said the county is one of few agencies he knows of that uses drones as first responders. “The early indications show that we have found yet another tool in the firefighting arsenal,” Sherwin said.
Sherwin noted the success of the Chula Vista Police Department with what it calls its Drone as First Responder program.
In 2018, police there began sending drones ahead of officers to reports of crimes in progress, fires, traffic collisions and reports of dangerous people, the department’s website says.
“DFR allows a trained incident commander to ‘virtually’ arrive on scene first, sometimes minutes before officers are in harm’s way,” the website says.
Brea police plan to launch a similar program in May, said Lt. Chris Haddad, a department spokesman, with drones also assisting the Fire Department.
San Bernardino County Fire has used drones since 2018. The new instant-response program is part of Fire Chief Dan Munsey’s commitment to new uses of technology to solve old problems, Sherwin said.
Money has been secured to purchase separate robots that can search a collapsed building and below-ground areas. And the Fire Department has applied for a grant that would pay for a submersible robot that could search rivers and lakes.
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Alexy and Cavada bundle up against the chill while working from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. as the city lights twinkle below.
Alexy holds a gaming-style controller featuring a small video screen with joysticks on either side. A larger monitor sits on a table and displays high-definition video images and readouts of flight data.
The 20-pound, $15,000 drone lifts off from a small mat that is illuminated by orange light.
The only limits to the drone are its battery life — 20 to 30 minutes — and Federal Aviation Administration rule that says the pilot must be able to see the drone at all times. That comes out to 6 square miles.
“We’re measuring our (arrival) responses literally in seconds,” Sherwin said. “We don’t have the traffic. We don’t have to drive around buildings. We go right over them.”
The drone showed its versatility on Jan. 13 when a fire broke out in a business at G and Congress streets.
Again responding to a report of an unknown type fire, the drone’s heat sensor detected flames inside the structure that couldn’t initially be seen from the outside.
Fire engines are equipped with tablets that receive the drone’s video feed.
Information from the drone gave the rig’s captain a more accurate assessment of what awaited him two minutes before he arrived: a fire that ultimately would take dozens of firefighters two hours to control.
“He’s already getting to figure out what his game plan is versus showing up on scene and then having to walk around it and then coming up with the game plan,” Alexy said.
“Every minute counts,” Sherwin added. Perhaps the best endorsement comes from the engine crews themselves.
Alexy said many, having witnessed the drone’s effectiveness, now ask for it to be launched as the engines roll out of the station, just as officers sometimes request support from police helicopters.
“They’re loving it,” Alexy said.
When the drone arrives, Alexy and Cavada will evaluate whether fire engines will be needed to put out the flames.
In some cases, such as during a recent drone response to what turned out to be a fire burning safely in a pit surrounded by a half dozen people, no intervention was necessary.
But in other instances, where someone has lit a warming or cooking fire that is burning too close to a building, the drone crew will turn on the aircraft’s public-address system and spotlight to give instructions from 200 feet in the air.
“They might think, ‘Is this God telling us to put the fire out?’ ” Alexy said.
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Who doesn't like watching two robots shoot it out?
Four killed in Sulaimani drone attack
January 27, 2025
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A drone targeted a car on Monday killing four people and injuring another in Sulaimani province’s Hajiawa district, according to local police.
“A drone bombed a Toyota Land Cruiser in Hajiawa, killing four people,” Daru Qadir, spokesperson for the Raparin police, told Rudaw, adding that the victims have yet to be identified.
Hajiawa is affiliated to the Raparin administration.
One person was slightly injured as he was riding his motorcycle past the site targeted by the drone, according to Mustafa Rasoul, director of the Raparin police.
He added that two of the victims who lost their lives were women, while the other two were men.
The victims were from northeast Syria (Rojava), according to information obtained by Rudaw’s Abubakir Ismail. Locals told Rudaw that they witnessed the moment a white drone struck the car.
It is not clear who carried out the attack but Turkey has previously carried out many airstrikes in the area, targeting alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members.
PKK media blamed Turkey for the attack.
https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/270120253
Ukraine-Russia latest: Putin’s forces claim capture of strategic town as Zelensky makes Trump appeal
Monday 27 January 2025 18:20 GMT
Russia claims to have captured the strategically important Ukrainian town of Velyka Novosilka, as Vladimir Putin’s forces continue their push in the Donetsk region.
A spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern forces confirmed on Monday that Russian troops had entered the town, but said that fighting continued on the outskirts.
With concerns that Russia could advance further towards Pokrovsk, president Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday that he had replaced the commander of military formation responsible for defending the key city for the third time in a year.
Mr Zelensky has also made a demand for Kyiv to be included in talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine that he believes could happen under Donald Trump’s US presidency.
The Ukrainian president said that the terms of any deal that might arise under the new US president were still unclear – and might not even be clear to Mr Trump himself – because Vladimir Putin had no interest in ending the war.
Meanwhile, Russia claimed its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 32 Ukrainian drones overnight.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-live-map-putin-troops-trump-peace-plan-b2686763.html
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/drone-attack-reported-overnight-in-russia-1737964757.html
https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1883892131518926990
Ready player one? Soldiers take on intense drone race through realistic war-torn city scenario
27th January 2025 at 4:04pm
All units from the British Army's Global Response Division, 1 UK Division, assembled from various locations across the UK and were tasked with competing in a 10-hour drone racing competition.
The event was uniquely designed to resemble a modern battlefield situated in a war-torn city.
Thirty teams, each with four members, were equipped with state-of-the-art first person view (FPV) hydrocarbon drones and point of view (POV) headsets.
The teams raced against each other through a complex battle zone filled with ruined buildings and damaged vehicles.
After navigating through sandbag-lined trenches in complete darkness, they confronted a brutal scene in what was considered 'enemy territory'.
They then collaborated as a team to conduct reconnaissance and gather as much intelligence as possible before safely extracting their drone from the area.
How useful are drones in modern warfare?
The use of drones has altered the dynamics of military operations, offered unique tactical advantages and enhanced the soldiers' operational efficiency in various combat scenarios.
Drones have been used by armies worldwide for various purposes, including surveillance, reconnaissance and targeted strikes.
The British Army is exploring ways in which they can be used more widely by a much broader range of soldiers.
It says testing soldiers in this way prepares them for future operational scenarios but also builds teamwork and raises morale.
The competition was fiercely fought with regiments and corps vying for maximum intelligence points and clear runs.
Panoramic viewpoints and CCTV allowed the other teams to watch the progress of their competitors and loud cheers erupted when time trials were beaten.
Drone racing in the British Army has previously always been classed as a hobby sport, but as current conflicts are proving, skillful drone operating capability can be key to operational success.
In Ukraine, for example, it is estimated that 80% of casualties on the battlefield are now because of drone activities.
That is why the British Army deliberately staged this competition in a hyper-realistic combat battlefield scenario, allowing the soldiers to be fully immersed and engaged in drone flying as a potential future operational skill, not just as a competitive sport.
It added an edge, complexity and excitement not experienced previously by the soldiers.
The winning team from 2nd Battalion the Royal Yorkshire Regiment was presented with a silver cup by Brigadier Mark Berry, Commander 16 Air Assault Brigade.
Coming a close second were 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, with the Grenadier Guards placing third.
The competition allowed more than 100 soldiers to take part in a fun but challenging inter-divisional competition testing their abilities in this future operational warfare technique.
It also allowed commanding officers to scout potential drone operating talents in their units for future nurturing.
The event was organised by the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards who, after five years on operational duties at home and overseas, will return to their ceremonial public duties role and mount their first King's Guard at Buckingham Palace.
https://www.forcesnews.com/technology/ready-player-one-soldiers-take-intense-drone-race-through-hyper-realistic-war-torn-city
Garuda Aerospace Deploys Free Drone Surveillance to Protect Olive Ridley Turtles
January 27, 2025
Garuda Aerospace has announced a three-month initiative to protect endangered Olive Ridley turtles along Chennai’s coastline.
In partnership with the Tree Foundation and the Tamil Nadu Departments of Forest and Fisheries, the company is offering free drone surveillance to combat illegal fishing practices and safeguard nesting sites during the critical breeding season.
Leveraging Drone Technology for Conservation
Garuda Aerospace’s drones will provide aerial surveys to identify nesting sites, track hatchling progress, and monitor coastal areas for illegal fishing activity.
Equipped with loudspeakers, the drones can warn fishermen violating the Tamil Nadu Marine Regulation Act, 1983, which prohibits certain activities within five nautical miles of the coast.
“The plight of the Olive Ridley turtles demands immediate action and long-term solutions,” said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace.
“By deploying our drones free of charge for the next three months, we’re directly intervening to protect nesting sites, deter illegal fishing, and give these hatchlings a chance at survival.”
Threats to Olive Ridley Turtles
Olive Ridley turtles face numerous challenges, including entanglement in fishing nets, habitat loss, and human interference.
Their nesting season, from January to April, is a particularly vulnerable time when turtles migrate from the Gulf of Munnar to Northern Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coasts.
Dr. Supraja Dharini, a conservation expert and head of the Tree Foundation, noted, “The Olive Ridley turtle population is facing a critical threat.
The combination of habitat destruction and accidental entanglement in fishing nets has led to a drastic decline in their numbers.
This initiative by Garuda Aerospace to provide drone surveillance is a welcome and essential step in protecting these magnificent creatures.”
Supporting Conservation with Advanced Technology
Garuda Aerospace has a fleet of versatile drones equipped with cameras and loudspeakers, enabling real-time monitoring and rapid response to illegal activities.
Their drones will cover a 5 to 10 km radius of the ocean, providing critical surveillance during the nesting season.
The company’s involvement in this initiative aligns with its broader efforts in environmental protection and innovation.
With clients like the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Garuda Aerospace continues to demonstrate the diverse applications of its drone technology.
This initiative underscores the vital role of advanced technology in addressing urgent conservation challenges and ensuring a safer environment for Olive Ridley turtles during their breeding season.
https://dronelife.com/2025/01/27/garuda-aerospace-deploys-free-drone-surveillance-to-protect-olive-ridley-turtles/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCtF9gpvo3s
UFOs over Honiton, East Devon, UK? ‘Freaky’ shape-changing lights are spotted above the town
27th January 2025
Fast-moving cigar-shaped ‘UFOs’ have been spotted flying high above Honiton prompting the question – are we alone?
Over the last month Steve Carver, aged 42, has been transfixed, filming footage of unidentified flying objects on clear nights in the skies over the town,
Steve, of Hawthorn Close, Honiton, who until now was a UFO sceptic, said the soundless objects change shape and colour, as they dart around the night sky.
Film footage and photos captured by dad-of-one Steve show dots of lights, long cigar shapes, some static, while others are fast moving.
He said he first spotted the unexplained shapes as he walked through the town at night. He does not believe the lights are aircraft from the nearby airfield.
“I’ve been seeing them over the last month around the town. If you look up on a clear night you can see them,” he said.
“You do get carried away watching them when they move about. It’s like a fog, but loads of different colours. They are red, purply, and bluey. When it changes colours, it looks sort of misty.
“Some are long cigar shape that curl around themselves. The thing that amazes me is how fast it’s moving, and how it changes from one direction to another. We haven’t got anything that fast.”
Steve said the sight of the darting, shape-changing objects was ‘freaky’. “I thought ‘what is this’? It’s like a takeover.”
He said: “Some are long, some are dots changing colour. When they are moving, they are changing shape into something more oblong.
“Some are just there. They don’t move There are not as many as there were. There were God knows how many.”
Steve said friends and family have been left ‘gobsmacked’ by his footage of the flying objects.
And though he cannot explain what he filmed, he had never seen any UFO activity before the Honiton sightings.
“I was a sceptic before,” said Steve. “It’s quite a shock to keep seeing them. To see that, it’s usually a once in a lifetime experience.”
He has filmed the unexplained shapes and lights over several weeks, initially while heading home in Honiton.
“I was just walking back one night. I was looking up in the sky. I got my phone out and zoomed in with the camera,” said Steve, who recently moved to East Devon from Hampshire.
“I am still seeing them now, up in the sky over Honiton. Over a month I have been seeing them now but there’s not so many now.”
Have you seen the UFO shape-changing lights? Email newsdesk@eastdevonnews.co.uk
https://eastdevonnews.co.uk/2025/01/27/east-devon-ufos-unexplained-lights-and-shapes-over-honiton/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i67U5WQsy6s
The turtles aren't supposed to be there